Method, apparatus and system

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus comprising a plurality of arrays; each array comprising a plurality of antenna elements, adjacent antenna elements of the array spaced at a first distance from one another and wherein the plurality of arrays are spaced from one other at a second distance, wherein the second distance is greater than the first difference.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of arrays,
 wherein each array of the plurality of arrays comprises a plurality of antenna elements, 
 wherein adjacent antenna elements of each array are spaced at a first distance from one another, 
 wherein adjacent elements spaced at the first distance induces a current on an adjacent antenna element by a transmitting adjacent antenna element such that the adjacent antenna element does not propagate autonomously but is affected by the transmitting adjacent antenna element, 
 wherein adjacent arrays of the plurality of arrays are spaced from one another at a second distance, and 
 wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first distance is such that the antenna elements of an array are mutually coupled. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second distance is such that there is negligible mutual coupling between the arrays. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna elements of each array are arranged linearly. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the antenna elements of each array are arranged in a uniform linear array. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna elements of each array are configured to transmit at a wavelength, λ, and the first distance is between 0.01λ, and 0.3λ. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the first distance is 0.25λ. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the first distance is 0.1λ. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna elements of each array are configured to transmit at a wavelength, λ, and the second distance is greater than 0.25λ. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the second distance is greater than 0.5λ. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna elements comprise dipole antenna elements. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the antenna elements comprise a half wave dipole element. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna element comprises a bi-quad antenna element. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the antenna elements are vertically offset from one another. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising variable impedance passive antenna elements. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each array comprises between two and eight antenna elements. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein each array comprises four antenna elements. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna elements are configured to operate at a first frequency less than or equal to 10 GHz, or wherein the antenna elements are configured to operate at a first frequency less than or equal to 5 GHz. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus comprising a linearly arranged plurality of arrays; each array comprising a plurality of antenna elements, adjacent antenna elements of each respective array mutually coupled; and wherein the plurality of arrays are substantially mutually uncoupled from one another. 
     
     
       20. A method comprising:
 spacing adjacent antenna elements of a plurality of antenna elements such that a transmitting antenna element induces a current on an adjacent antenna element preventing the adjacent antenna element from propagating autonomously; 
 arranging the plurality of antenna elements in more than one antenna arrays; and 
 arranging the more than one antenna arrays such that adjacent antenna arrays of the more than one antenna arrays are at a second distance from one another where that second distance is greater than the first distance.